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November 14, 2018

Tough To Crack

CALGARY, AB - AUGUST 25, 2018: The Calgary Stampeders win 39-26 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium on Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Candice Ward/Calgary Stampeders)

Nobody hereabouts is anticipating any handouts.

No mulligans.

Anyone in red expecting to stumble upon a Get Out of Jail Free card had better find some other Monopoly board to roll their dice on.

“Richie doesn’t get a lot of love,” says Dave Dickenson, referencing Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall. “I don’t know why.

“He does a great job.

“I mean, they sure do make you earn what you get.

“They’ve got great physicality, great aggressiveness and can cause you a lot – I mean a lot – of problems. We’ve got to be sharp with our eyes. We’ve got to be aware. We’ve got to see the blitzes, adjust – hopefully we can – and pick up their linebackers, some of the best in the league at getting to the quarterback.

“Like I said, maybe as a unit they don’t get talked about as much as they should.

“But they’re going to be a tough nut to crack.”

The old quarterback/current Stampeders head coach/offensive architect is the one entrusted with supplying the nut-cracker for Sunday’s West Final, 2:30 p.m. at McMahon Stadium.

No rudimentary task.

The Blue Bombers’ defence placed second to the Stampeders’ top-rated unit in several major categories through the 2018 regular season: Offensive points allowed per game (20.8, compared to 17.8), offensive touchdowns permitted (35, to 27), passing majors surrendered (15, to 11) and opposition average yards per pass completion (7.6, to 7.2).

“They’ve been perfecting that defence for the last couple of years,’’ notes Stamps’ QB Bo Levi Mitchell. “And the pieces they’ve brought in this season – (Adam) Bighill, (Jovan) Santos-Knox, adding (Chandler) Fenner and (Anthony) Gaitor to help after (Maurice) Leggatt’s injury – have only made them stronger.

“Plus, they’ve been, all in all, pretty healthy, which gives them time to practice a bunch of coverages, tighten things up communication-wise and work on timing.

“Health, communication and timing are big ingredients in creating greatness, either offensively or defensively.”

That Bomber resistance certainly rates as a larcenous bunch, tying atop the nine-entry loop in forced turnovers created, at 49, right alongside the Stampeders. The team’s18 fumble recoveries proved to be one more than DeVone Claybrooks’ group could muster, and at 20 interceptions finished one off the league high.

Individually, Bighill – re-migrating north following a season with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints – tied for the CFL lead in forced fumbles (four) while DB Kevin Fogg’s five interceptions tied him for second among pickpockets.

“You’ve seen them create turnovers at the right time,” says Mitchell. “Bighill, on a couple of occasions, causing those strip-fumbles – starting the game off against Sask, of course, but to finish games, too, against us and Ottawa, in OT I believe, against (Brad) Sinopoli.

“When the ball’s in the air and they’ve got their eyes on it, they’re very good at making plays. A lot of their DBs have elite ball skills. Meaning your passes have to be accurate and your routes crisp.”

Okay, so maybe Zach Collaros wasn’t the guy under centre for the Big Blue’s 23-18 semifinal win over the Roughriders but anytime you win at Mosaic, it’s an achievement.

And Hall’s defence managed to limit the Saskatchewan attack to 232 total yards, registered four QB takedowns and a pair of picks in setting up Sunday’s McMahon matinee date.

The Bombers’ degree of defensive aggressiveness is something the Stamps, aiming to book passage to a third consecutive Grey Cup and a chance to take care of unfinished business, hope to control and, ideally, exploit.

“If you look at the stats, they give their offence some short fields with those turnovers,” explains Stamps’ quarterback coach Ryan Dinwiddie. “They’re aggressive in the secondary yet haven’t given up a lot of passing touchdowns, which is a testament to their group.

“You can see the standards, the added emotion, the attitude, Bighill has brought – the downhill play of their linebackers to stop the run, as well as in getting after the quarterback.

“They’re maybe not seen as sexy as some of the other defences. So let’s call ’em late-bloomers. But they’ve been hot lately so we’ve got to make sure we take care of the football.

“As an offence, I know we’re expecting a big, big challenge. And we’ve got to be up to it.”